Tag: vivaNext

Categories
General Innovation Live-work-play Studies

more social and free time, less traffic #moretocome

Blogpost by: Sara Grilli

The sight of a child smiling at everyone, two strangers striking up conversation, a passenger helping a parent with a stroller and others offering their seat can bring on positive feelings.  Even if everyone isn’t always smiling, daily interactions like these contributed most people’s wellbeing. As this Scientific American blog entry notes, being social is important. It’s a benefit of taking transit – a benefit we all miss out on if we commute by ourselves in a car.

Social interactions have been linked to health benefits, even if it’s just nodding and smiling to a few people.  When choosing transit, here are some more benefits:

  • Free time: It’s easier than ever to catch up on work [or your Instagram feed]. Viva seats are even equipped with tables near the back of the bus in case you want a surface for your keyboard or sketch pad.
  • Fewer cars on the road: Traffic congestion has been the #1 concern for York Region residents for more than a decade, and one Viva bus can replace up to 70 cars on the road.
  • Faster trips: Reduced travel times help you get where you need to go – faster and more conveniently. On Highway 7 East and on Davis Drive in 2016, Viva rapidway service was at least 30% faster than travelling with regular traffic.
  • Easy connections: As transit services continue to integrate fares, it’s simpler to connect between YRT/Viva, GO and TTC. With a PRESTO card it is easier than ever to tap and go!

These benefits just begin to scratch the surface of what the future of public transportation can offer and with new technologies and ideas; the future is never far away. Mobility as a service is a growing industry and we are learning and growing along with it.

For a look at some of our photos and videos, be sure to check out our Instagram account, and sign up for updates today, because there is always #MoreToCome.

Categories
Innovation Studies

imagine more choices

imagine more choices

Blogpost by: Sara Grilli

Imagine going to a restaurant and opening the menu only to find a couple of items available to order.  While you know all the options are good, you sometimes wish there were more choices. Now take this situation and apply it to transit.

Now more than ever, commuters have a variety of options when it comes to choosing how to get from A to B.  New options include ridesharing platforms – for example Uber and Lyft.  Commuters tend to gravitate toward these because everything can be done on a smartphone – from ordering a ride, to payments, tips and ratings.

A common misconception is that ridesharing services are going to compete with and eventually replace public transit and make it obsolete.  This could not be further from the truth. According to a 2017 study done by Masabi, it was reported that:

  • 35% of respondents are now combining ridesharing with public transit to reach a destination on at least an occasional basis
  • 7% are combining ridesharing with public transit at least once a week
  • 95.5% of weekly rideshare riders use public transit, pointing to a future that could include less car ownership and more use of both public and private shared transportation

Commuters who pair ridesharing with public transit see an innovative and greener future where everyone benefits from more choices. Travellers are creating a demand for Mobility as a Service [MaaS], where trips are planned together across all modes and systems. With all of the advanced technology available today, the future of transportation is already evolving to be faster and easier.

To make sure you’re getting all the up-to-date information, subscribe for updates at vivanext.com!

Categories
Rapidways Subways

more to come

#MoreToCome

The warmer weather is bringing thoughts of new growth, and change. York Region has seen a lot of change in recent years. Along with our growing population, and increasing number of businesses and jobs, changes to our streets and infrastructure have brought about new choices.

Some of our funded rapidway projects are already constructed and open for service, bringing new options in how to travel, to Highway 7 East in Markham and Richmond Hill, Davis Drive in Newmarket, and Highway 7 West in Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. In Vaughan, connections to subway make transit even more of an option to travel across the GTA.

Transit is transforming our city centres, and there are even more projects on the horizon:

  • The Yonge Subway Extension – York Region’s number one transit priority – has preliminary design and engineering underway and is ready to move to full engineering and construction once full capital funding is committed. For more information about this 5-station, 7.4 km extension from Finch to Highway 7, visit vivanext.com/project_YongeSubway
  • The next phase of bus rapid transit includes over 75 km of new dedicated lanes for Viva, along Yonge Street, Highway 7 East and West, Jane Street, Major Mackenzie Drive and Leslie Street. Most of the Environmental Assessments are complete for these projects, and we’re ready to move to preliminary engineering, design and construction once they receive capital funding. For a map of the unfunded rapid transit projects in York Region, click here.

With investments in transit and infrastructure, York Region’s continued growth will be “smart growth.” The new options this brings will paint a bright future, of new opportunities, experiences and destinations for residents and visitors alike!

 

Categories
Innovation Urban Planning

municipalities of the future

municipalities of the future

Earlier this month we were excited to be part of the Municipalities of the Future Symposium, hosted in Vaughan by York University. President of York Region Rapid Transit Corp. [YRRTC], Mary-Frances Turner, gave the keynote presentation, talking about trends and future innovation.

megatrends

Mary-Frances’ presentation highlighted a video by HP that talked about keeping up in this ever-changing world, by planning around these “megatrends”:

  • Rapid urbanization – larger cities, more cities
  • Changing demographics – aging population and lower birthrate, shrinking workforce
  • Hyper global and hyper local – everything connected to the internet, but customization is key
  • Accelerated innovation – market for new ideas and innovative business models, businesses reinventing themselves

future innovation >> smart growth

Looking at the state of the GTA, and global examples of transportation innovation, Mary-Frances talked about the need for “smart growth” in our cities and towns. In York Region, we expect to see a 49% rise in population and a 50% increase in jobs by 2041, but traffic congestion has been the number one concern of residents for the past 13 years.

What is smart growth? It’s compact, higher density development, maximizing the amount of places to live, work and be entertained, within walking distance of transit – where mobility and connections are seamless, regardless of municipal boundaries.

Smart growth includes better access to transportation – including transit, and future innovative technology. In the GTA, we’ve already created better access to health services, education and businesses with transit:

  • Dedicated bus lanes – rapidways – at the doorstep of Southlake Hospital in Newmarket and Markham-Stouffville Hospital in Markham.
  • Direct connection to subway in Vaughan, which stops at York University.
  • Viva rapidway stations near Seneca College’s Markham Campus and the future York University campus in Markham Centre.
  • Easy access for Viva riders and pedestrians to businesses along Davis Drive in Newmarket, and Highway 7 East and West in Markham and Vaughan.

There’s much left to do, including more transit, and more transportation options. Whether it’s bus rapidways, subway extensions, car sharing or drone taxis, there is a world of options out there. At YRRTC, we’re committed to being ready, by working with others to ensure guiding policies result in a successful future, by remaining open to changes in technology and the demands of new demographics, and by thinking outside the norm.

Categories
Urban Planning

having your own wheels, in your pocket

having your own wheels, in your pocket

For most of us old enough to have our drivers’ license, our approach to transportation has taken a pretty linear path. First, we got driven around by our parents. Then, we got a bit of independence when we could bike to our friends’. The bike in turn was ditched on that much-anticipated and magical day when we could get our own “wheels.” Throughout, as a fallback, there was always the bus. For most of us, how we got around reflected where we lived and what our budget was. But what wasn’t an option, was the thought that at any given time there could be multiple good choices for how we could get around. Or even, that there might be something more convenient or desirable than owning our own car.

All that is changing, and fast.

As this compelling report from consulting firm Deloitte describes, mobility – i.e., how we get around, is quickly becoming something people are approaching as consumers, like any other service or goods they shop for. People want choice, they want flexibility, and they want convenience. And they want it now.

Mobility as a service – MaaS for short – is poised to change how we get around, in the same way that Netflix forever changed how we access entertainment. Remember that not-so-long-ago day, when watching a movie meant lining up at the movie theatre to buy a paper ticket? Now, to catch the latest, you still might want to go out to the theatre, or you might want to call it up on your smart TV at home. Or maybe you want to watch on your phone while you’re enjoying a latte at the coffee shop. Instantaneous options, to suit your mood, at a given moment. Oh, and you don’t need to pay for that movie with cash, since that’s all handled by your TV or phone’s app automatically. It’s all seamless, and easy to use, and we just take it for granted now.

Take that degree of transformation and apply it to how you get around. That’s how mobility is about to be changed.

Say you need to get from A to B. You go to your app, punch in where you are now and where you’re going, and it tells you all your options. Bike sharing, public transit, ride hailing, car sharing, etc. You’ll be told what combination will get you there soonest, and how much each component will cost. You pay on your phone. It’s all coordinated behind the scenes, but seamless for you.

Sounds like some kind of sci-fi? Not at all. Some cities, including in Europe and Japan, are way ahead and already have these apps in place, coordinating the services offered by a whole range of public and private sector mobility providers. Canadian cities aren’t all that far behind. And with some transformation, our public transit services will play a key role as they do in those other cities; many, including at York Region Rapid Transit, are already focusing on mobility options. This means lots of creative ways of working together to make mobility seamless and more efficient for consumers. The day is coming when you can have your own “wheels,” without owning a car.

 

Categories
Live-work-play

rapid transit means quality of life

rapid transit means quality of life

When you think of rapid transit, you probably think of commuting – getting to school or work on time, without having to rely on a car. It’s true that transit helps people get to work – and that having more people on transit means fewer cars on the roads. But a fast, convenient transit system means more than getting to work.

It means getting home on time to meet friends for dinner, take the kids to swimming lessons or just to enjoy family time. Knowing when the next bus [or subway] will arrive is key. And being able to predict when you’ll get there is important to you, and everyone you’re connecting with.

Whether you take transit because it’s fast and easy, or because you can text your friends on the bus, quality of life is what it’s all about. This Family Day weekend, we wish you all the best, as you connect with friends and family.

 

Categories
Construction

we’re preparing for spring [despite what groundhogs may say…]

we’re preparing for spring [despite what the groundhog may say…]

The groundhogs seem to be of differing opinions about when spring is coming. Of the big three – Wiarton Willie, Shubenacadie Sam and Punxsutawney Phil – one says winter is over, and two predict six more weeks.

We’re ready for spring to come at vivaNext, with lots of plans afoot to continue the transformation of York Region’s busiest roads to rapidways.

When spring has sprung and the ground has thawed, our crews will be ready to carry out their detailed construction plans.

We carry out construction in all seasons, but there are some things that need warmer temperatures, like road widening, paving and of course, planting! Planters will be installed along Yonge Street in Newmarket this spring. At our newly open Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station, the planters are ready and waiting for a green touch, soon to be filled with greenery.

We’re paving the way to spring with information, preparing newsletters on our projects, and keeping our Board and local stakeholders updated. Subscribe to sign up for email updates today.

At this time of year, we’re looking forward to ramping up our work. It’s not long now, and whether the groundhogs are right or wrong, we’re ready for spring.

Categories
Construction Rapidways Stations Utilities

viva la winter!

Brr, it’s cold out there, or unseasonably warm, depending on the day. You never know what’s in store. Regardless of the weather, our construction crews continue to expand the Viva rapidway system to improve connections in York Region. The winter season lends itself to certain types of work, especially the kind that happens above ground.

shiny, new canopies

Forget the January blahs! It’s been exciting times on the Bathurst & Centre corridor this past month. The first two vivastation canopies were installed at Bathurst/Hwy 7 Station located on the Bathurst connector road, one for each side of the station. There’s nothing like seeing that crane lift the canopy into place!

The elegant, arched glass canopies evoke traditional European transit infrastructure, transforming the everyday experience of transit into a beautiful one. A third canopy is coming this winter to the vivastation on Bathurst at Atkinson Avenue.

Looking to the west, construction of the first vivastation platform is beginning to take shape at what will be Commerce Street Station on Highway 7 West.

On both Highway 7 West and Bathurst & Centre, road widening and construction of storm sewers, retaining walls and culvert work is underway. Winter is also a great time to relocate hydro lines and install new poles, which is getting close to being completed in this area.

signals, check!

Our Yonge Street projects are not as far along, and the underground utility work they need to do is limited during cold weather. Crews have made some progress on installing underground duct banks and gas mains in Richmond Hill. Traffic signal work, a good above-ground winter activity, and is also underway. In Newmarket, crews are preparing to start work on the east side of Yonge when the weather gets a bit warmer. They’ll be replicating the road widening that was performed on the west side last year.

planning season

Winter is also a great time to make plans, large and small. We’re working together with the TTC on design and engineering for the biggest plan of all – the Yonge Subway Extension. Also, our staff and contractors are carefully planning spring construction schedules for the Viva rapidway projects, coordinating in advance with stakeholders, and procuring contractors for other projects.

Come spring, our crews will be raring to go, full steam ahead. If you’d like to keep on top of what’s going on in your community, we invite you to sign up for updates.

Categories
Commissioning Construction Facilities and terminals Rapidways Stations Technical

the critical role of spiders in building Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station

Now, before you think we’ve imported some exotic tropical arachnids, what we call “spiders” are actually the stainless steel fittings that hold together the glass pieces on our stations. They’re called spiders due to their shape, and they play a critical role in the architectural and structural design of our stations.

For the new Vaughan Metropolitan Centre [VMC] rapidway station, the main structural support comes from the welded steel superstructure that forms the distinctive curved shape. Over top of that, steel, custom-made spider fittings are bolted to each steel intersection. The spider fittings support the individual glass panels on the station’s sides and skylight.

410 panels of glass

Each triangular-shaped panel of glass is attached by brackets on the legs of the spiders. Because each piece of glass is a unique size and shape, the job of attaching the glass to the spiders is very fiddly. The extra-large 50 by 24 metre VMC canopy has an eye-popping 410 panels, each equally spaced and slightly different due to the station’s curved planes. The tempered glass can’t be cut or drilled on site without shattering, so holes for the brackets were made during the fabrication process.

beautiful precision

We knew if the holes in the glass didn’t line up exactly to the spider brackets, the glass pieces wouldn’t fit. Since glass fabrication is a fairly slow process, we didn’t want to risk having to go back and remake a piece. Rather than making the glass in advance, we installed the spiders, then measured them with a 3-D laser scanner that registered the targets as multiple cloud points; essentially the same process used to make a 3-D model.

The last step was the installation of the glass panels to the station roof, and seeing all this precision and planning come together for beautiful results. Now if you visit the VMC rapidway station, you can take shelter under a strong and stunning glass canopy reminiscent of the great European architectural traditions, right here in York Region.

 

Categories
Commissioning Construction Facilities and terminals Rapidways Safety Stations Technical

beautiful curves of glass

If you’ve ever had to replace a window in your house, you know that working with glass is fiddly, exacting work. It needs to fit perfectly or you’ll get drafts and leaks. Glass has no tolerance for being the wrong shape or size. And dropping a pane from a window: well, that means another trip back to the store.

Now, imagine the challenges of installing the glass on the curves of our new Vaughan Metropolitan Centre [VMC] rapidway station. As you can guess, it was a long, multi-stage process, done with great care and precision.

strength and safety

As with all our vivastations, the VMC glass was laminated and tempered for strength and safety. First the glass was cut into panes, and then it went through a special process to make it extra strong. This way, if it breaks, it crumbles into small granular chunks instead of sharp pieces.

To add more strength and make it even safer, we then laminated the tempered glass by sandwiching two glass sheets together around an interlayer. If the glass is broken, the interlayer holds the small pieces together instead of breaking into many little shards, the same way a car windshield stays together in an accident. The interlayer on the blue skylight glass is actually a different, stronger material than the interlayer used for the clear side glass, since the top skylight needs to support heavier loads from snow and maintenance workers.

creating curves

Fitting flat glass to the curved shape of the station was a challenge, because every surface of the steel roof curved over two dimensions, much like the outside of a ball. The first step was to divide the glass into a series of triangles. Three-sided shapes are easier to work with compared to four-sided shapes, the same way a tripod is more stable on uneven ground compared to a four-legged chair.

But this still left the challenge of fitting flat pieces of glass over a curved frame. The solution here was to adjust the bolts on the corners of the spiders [the stainless steel fittings that hold  the glass pieces onto the frame] so they’re each set at a different height. We knew how high each bolt needed to be from 3D scans, so we adjusted them before we installed the glass. By installing each corner of glass at a slightly different height, we recreated the curves of the tubular steel frame.

intricate jigsaw puzzle

The last step was putting the glass panels in place, one by one. Although they were all triangles, every piece was unique like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, so to avoid mix-ups they were carefully numbered before they were delivered. Once the glass panels were bolted onto the spiders and the final adjustments made to perfect the curve of the glass, we sealed the gaps with caulking to make the structure weather-tight.

Building this strong and beautiful glass-covered station took precision, but look at the stunning results! This landmark station helps set the architectural stage for future development at the VMC and makes the everyday experience of transit a beautiful one for our customers.